Help!!! all fish in trouble

[eugeneevans]

Sick Maroon Clown

How long have you had the fish?
2 days
Do you know if it was wild caught, or tank raised?
Unknown
How long has the fish been in the tank?
approx 48hrs
What are the tank mates? Any aggression?
See Profile
Is the fish eating?
Not today
If so what does it eat?
Brine Shrimp, Another type of small shrimp (update later)
What are the water parameters? pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, SPG?
Will get new levels in the afternoon, need more supplies
What saltwater test kit are you using?
Hydrometer
5. Is the fish showing any physical signs of disease, grain of salt size spots, discoloration, ragged fins, misting or spots on the fins, cuts, cloudy eyes, etc?
None as of now
6. Is the fish "flashing" (scratching or rubbing on rocks, decorations or substrate)?
He was yesterday, tonight he is laying sideways to upright in the sand and seems to be breathing heavily
7. How is the fish acting? Is it swimming around, or just hovering in one spot or corner of the tank?
Laying fairly dormant on his side heavy breathing, staying stationary for the most part, in fact the other maroon seemed to be helping him to lie next to or near my long tentacle anemone
8. Did you use quarantine? If so for how long and did you have a need to treat for any ailments? Is it in qt now? Are you currently treating with any medication(s)?
No treatments as of yet
9. Describe in detail how the fish was acclimated.
Drip method - In a bucket - I inserted all purchased livestock into the bucket. I marked the water level on the bucket after the livestock water was poured into the bucket. I then ran a drip line from the tank to the bucket with a tight knot in the line as to have a slow continuous drip. I allowed the water level to roughly double the water level that started in the bucket (from purchased livestock). The clown was with 2 anenome's, 1 toadstool leather coral, 2 zebra stripped gobies, 1 emerald crab, 1 blood red shrimp, 1 chocolate chip starfish, 2 new liverocks. All of the other acclimated critters are doing completly fine from the looks of things.
10. What size system? What type of filtration do you use? Do you have any live rock or sand?
110 Gallon tank, Rena Filstar xP, 5 total live rocks (2 added today), sand bottom.
11. Do you use any additives? Have you used any sort of meds in the main tank?
No additives have been used in the last 6 months or so (ph, sea salt, alkilides, etc.) No medications have ever been used.

So far as I stated above it looks as though he is fighting for his life and i cannot figure out why. He seemed fine in the store and all of the other fish and reef things i added all seem to be doing just fine. Also on a side note the starfish and the shrimp who from what i read can be picky about salinity levels seem perfectly content as well.

 

[mr_X]

It's quite possible the way it was collected could be the cause.
That said, i would want about 100 pounds of live rock (or more) in a 110 gallon tank. Adding live rock after you have livestock in the tank is very dangerous. It could have substantial die off on the rock that could cause an ammonia spike strong enough to kill your livestock. I dont' think that was the case here, because out of all of your livestock, i would say a maroon clown is the most resilient.

 

[eugeneevans]

I got up this morning and had a dead firefish, and all of the other fish in the tank are at the top of the tank mouths at the top edge of the water. what do i do.

 

[eugeneevans]

Odd behavior continuing

I started another thread however I now have a dead firefish as well and all of my other fish are at the top of the tank sucking air from the looks of it, I am going into a short panic now.

 

[melosu58]

You`ll need to do some PWC`s. It almost sounds like high ammonia. Did you cycle your tank? Any way you can get some already made up water from your LFS.

 

[eugeneevans]

Tank has been cycled for around 6 months before I added rock, livestock have been in the tank for some time, all the fish seem starved for air or something like there all panting near the top. Ill get some readings now.

 

[melosu58]

Both threads merged together.

 

[eugeneevans]

PH 8.0
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 2
5.0 ppm HUGE SPIKE
Nitrate 3
160 PPM AGAIN HUGE SPIKE

How do I bring the nitrates down in a hurry???

 

[mr_X]

Water changes, like Mike said.

 

[eugeneevans]

Alright got an update.
Clown Died

I have since swapped out roughly 75% of the water out of the aquarium with pre mixed water from my LFS, this process was over the last couple of days since I started this post. As of today I rechecked the levels current levels are much much better however NO3 is still a bit high.

PH 8.1
Ammonia 0.00
Nitrite 2
0.0
Nitrate 3
80 PPM

Also I realized my skimmer was not working prior to the original issue with the Nitrate levels so I purchased another and paid to much for it but when all fish are in trouble I had no choice. I purchased a Corralife which apperently was all my LFS carried. So be it.

So during the water change my Firefish and Green Brittle Star Fish died as you can tell frustration has set in. Enough of all the tramatic stories.

So everyone else seems to be doing better, however the next problem has now presented itself. *Taking deep breath*, the water started out crystal clear, it then turned extremely cloudy. So I verified the levels all of which I posted above, the only thing I could attribute it to was the Nitrates again?? Maybe??? After a day of cloudy water I cleaned all of my bio filters again, flushed the intake and outtake lines of the main pump, cleaned out the skimmer. All of which were not to incredibly dirty. Since all of the cleaning the majority of the cloudiness has seem to of been moved to the skimmer. It is strange the top of the skimmer is way cloudy but the skimmer seems to be working. I'd like to say all is well however its not. The water is much better then it was, however still a bit cloudy. I posted a picture so you can see what I am talking about.

A side note that may or may not help. My other inverts seem to be doing fine 2 annenome's and 1 coral. Crabs seem to be fine, Snails all ok, the only invert that died was the brittle star . (He was awesome) sad. Anyways anything that you can suggest still will be very helpful.

 

[mr_X]

I would return the coralife skimmer for a refund and get something quality.
I would also make my own water instead of purchasing water from the lfs. It's cheaper, you know exactly what's in it, and it's always readily available...even in an emergency in the middle of the night.
What is the salinity of that water?

 

[eugeneevans]

Just took measurements on the tank, and it is only 55 Gallons appologies. That explains as to why it didnt take much water to get it 75% replaced. To answer your question the salinity level is at 1.024. With the findings of the tank being 55 Gallons, will the light I have currently suffice for the anenome's?

 

[mr_X]

What was the lighting again? 2 t5 lamps? I would want at least 4, if so.

 

[eugeneevans]

Pump, Filtration, Lights
- Rena Filstar xP -
- Aquasun T5 48" (housing) -
- Ocean Sun 10,000k (bulb)-
- Coral Sun Actinic 420 (bulb) -

 

[mr_X]

these are all 54 watt lamps?

 

[Tilo1121]

Could you post pics of your anemone? ASAP Preferably showing their mouth... And the one problem was adding the live rock after the fish. Sorry not trying to make you feel bad and repeating it.

 

[Tilo1121]

I ask about the anemone because the water gets cloudy when one dies. And if you dot get it out In time it will fall apart and finish killing off the rest of your tank

 

[eugeneevans]

I will post the pictures shortly both however do look like they are doing find. Also it looks as though i may be getting the start of algae growing in the tank. Light brown resudue accumulaating across the tank. I will post pictures shortly.